Today's update.

So, work was hectic but not as bad however, I had a FREAKIN' miseable headache all day. I woke at 4:45 and was worrying about the move, DH leaving, selling the house, buying a house, etc., etc.

Needless to say, I was not at all surprised that I had a head/neck ache all day long. So, I got home and started taking some boxes that DH had put in the garage to the storage unit. Not alot of stuff but a start and hey, a start is a start right?

I went to the basement and gathered up anything and everything that had to do with Xmas decorations. They are going into the storage unit and will come out again in my new HOME! (positive thoughts, positive thoughts). I will take them out to the storage unit tomorrow evening.

I have some pictures to share from vacay (finally). First, it's the walk of the penguins. . . . . .
He won the stuffed penguin at the water gun race game in King's Island in Cincinnatti. I am so glad that there are still plenty of moments where he is still my "baby".

King's Island has NickToons themed items, rides and decorations. I LOVE AVATAR. They even have an Avatar ride! We had a good time there.






So, as this IS a knitting blog, let's get to knitting. Here is the top that I finished while on vacay and wore to last nights sit'n knit:
OK, you all have to look beyond the "no makeup and pajama bottoms" look. I was on vacation, so sue me! tee hee. I made this in a total of 5 days. Quickest knitted garment for me to date and I love it. I finished it after we had arrived to Hilton Head. It was so relaxing a knit while on the drive and in the evenings in the condo. I love the way it turned out.

I am guessing that blogger must be limiting posts to a total of 3 pictures each as I can't seem to get anymore on here so, because of that and the fact that it is now 10PM, you all will have to wait until tomorrow for more from vacay and packing/storage land.

I'm having a mojito and going to bed. C ya.

Sharing my roots as I am FREAKING OUT!

Ok so things are WAY crazy over here with getting as much done in the next 2 weeks before DH goes to NC. WAY, WAY, WAY too much to get done. I DID however make it to sit 'n knit tonight (a girl must have her priorities straight no?).

Anywhoooooo, I thought that I would share my Mojito recipe with you all as that is my FAVE drink to cool me down after working hard (and help me relax - a little rum will do that). My parents came from Cuba to the USA in 1961 when they were just 18 and 21 years old with a 3 month old son! No jobs, no english but lots of hopes and dreams of finding freedom in the USA. Thanks to Uncle Sam and their hardwork they afforded my brothers and I a very comfortable life. I can't think of any two people that I admire more.

Anyhow, I am very proud of my Cuban roots and try to hold on to as much of it as I can. I try to impart all the sacrifices and hardwork that my parents went through to afform me my freedom to my son. I expose him to my culture as much as possible.

In keeping my culture alive, I keep my Mojito recipe going. Yeah, ain't I altruistic? tee hee ;-)

So, anyhow, here it is and I hope it brings you as much refreshment, relaxation and enjoyment as it has me for years and years.

Traditional Cuban Mojito

1/2 cup of sugar
1 sprig of fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 cup of white rum (cuban preferred)
Crushed ice
Seltzer water

1. Thoroughly crush the mint leaves into the sugar. The crushing releases the mint oils and adds to the flavor. Take your time on this step. It'll make a difference in your drink.

2. Add the lime juice and the rum. Mix until the sugar is mostly dissolved. This is your "drink base".

3. Fill a glass with crushed ice. Add your drink base about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way up the glass. Can change this to suit your taste. You'll need to experiment a bit with this.

4. Fill the glass up with the seltzer water.

5. mix thoroughly and enjoy!

Back from Vacay and LOTS to tell. . . . .

So, I've been MIA b/c of our vacation. We left on Friday the 18th and just got back into town tonight. Whew. In that time we: Went to King's Island Amusement park in Cincinnati; toured the Louisville Slugger factory in Louisville, KY; drove down to Hilton Head, SC for some much needed R&R AND drove up to NC for a "visit".

OK, so first off, I must THANK YOU ALL for all the positive vibes that you sent our way. I can now officially spill the beans. DH has been on the hunt for a new job for the last 9 months or so. The whole "firm" life was not what he (we) thought it would be. He worked hard, moved up through the ranks of the associates, made partner and then . . . WHAM! Reality kicked in. Partnership in a firm isn't all that one dreams it is going to be. There is no grand change in workloads and you are then a "self-employed" worker and deal with all the woes of THAT. So, needless to say, DH wanted to be able to enjoy his family more than he could (and we wanted him around more as well) so the search for an inhouse counsel position started.

He found a company that he liked where the company felt he was the right fit as well. We needed your vibes and prayers and thankfully, all the praying and positive thoughts paid off. He was extended the offer and accepted it right before we went on vacation. Whew, was that a load of stress off our shoulders for vacation. We TRULY were able to relax, enjoy and not even THINK of picking up a phone, newspaper, check in at the office, check email, etc., etc. NOTHING! We got to enjoy our time, just the 3 of us and DH and I truly were able to relax and enjoy eachother's company completely for the first time in quite a while.

So, thank you all for all your thoughts, prayers and good wishes. Everything is set into motion now. DH will start his new job in 2 weeks (9/11 - yikes) in NORTH CAROLINA!

Yep, knittingnurse and fam are moving. To North Carolina's Research Triangle area (Raleigh-Durham). THAT was what the detour to NC was for. An initial scope of housing and the area in general. Although DH had been down to the area twice during the interviewing process, DS and I had never been to the area.

We took off from Hilton Head on Friday morning and spent all day Friday and Saturday looking around the area (I'm going to have not only a Target but also a SUPER Target!) and scoping out houses. DH had already scoped out 2 knit shops in the area. We tried to go to 1 on Friday evening but got there after it had closed. Rats. However, we got a good sense of what is available and what we want for our house.

No bids on anything (although there were a couple of houses that I WOULD have bid on) as we need to clean up our current home and put it on the market. DS and I will stay behind initially (poo). We've already decided that DS and I will be down by Thanksgiving OR at the worse case scenario by mid-December (depending on when this house is listed). We may have to double mortgage for a month or two but that won't be too bad and it'll be worth being together for the holidays.


Geez, that's already a long post and there aren't any pix or any vacation/knitting talk. OK, quickies until the next post. Vacation ROCKED! I finished the new top done on the options needles, worked on a pair of socks and almost finished up a poncho for one of my neices. Will talk more of that next time and may post some pix. Gotta go unpack and get stuff ready for DS. He's off to school on Tuesday and tomorrow is going to be hectic with getting all his stuff ready.

Let me go get my roller skates. . . . . .

tee hee!

Pictures

So, let's see if blogger is going to be nice this time. Here is a picture of me with one of my newest "fave" t-shirts. It's a Chub Creek shirt. Can you believe that Dave actually changed the logo to the pink just because I asked him too? He is such a great guy and if you have means to listen, his podcast is hilarious. He is a sometimes contributor to Cast-on which is where I first found him and now I don't miss a single episode. Give him a listen, why don't you? You won't regret it.

Next we have the Options needle set: 9 sets of needle points, 4 cables in 2 sizes and a carrying case. They are just beautiful and I can now truly say that I like these BETTER than addi-turbos (which are still the next best thing). Sigh. I never thought that would be possible but it's true.




Here are a couple of pix from the ball game on Sunday: I've tried now to get a few more pix (including the one where I am actually throwing the ball) and I guess blogger has had enough. I'll try again tomorrow.



Hey, and last but not least, at sit 'n knit tonight, I just found out that one of the instructors from the shop designed and published a scarf that is named after ME! Jannett's scarf is a beautiful faux cabled scarf made from Malabrigo. Ooooh. This stuff is amazingly soft. sinfully soft. exquisitely soft. But it is also warm. Very, very warm. Perfect scarf wool. And the colors are too die for! Can't wait to get going on that with some stash stuff (present from a pal). Yeah! I'll have to scan the pix from the pattern and post it when I can get to a scanner, ok?

New top is now about 65% done. I'm booking with my option needles ladies. Watch out!

I am SOOOOO behind. . . . .

Geez, things have been so crazy over here. First things first. The day after my last post was my 17th wedding anniversary. It just blows me away that I have had the great fortune of being married to my all-time best friend for that long. AND, this December we will have been together for 20 years! Yeah for us!

I love you baby! I always have and I always will.

Next up, so, what does my absolutely fabulous and wonderful hubby do for me for the momentous occasion? Well, we went out to dinner that night and had a fabulous leisurely 3 1/2 hour dining experience. It was perfect. The food was amazing, the wine was great and the company? Well, you all know how the company was! :D

BUT, my anniversary gift I was told, was going to be "late". A week later it arrived. He got me the knitpicks options needle set. The whole starter set! (see? I told you he was fab) Let me tell you about these needles. . . . . .LOVE THEM! They are as sharp on the point as my lantern moons, as smooth, lightweight and FAST as my addis AND have the flexibility of denise needles. How can you go wrong? And for the PRICE? Pishaw! No comparison. I am a convert now, I freely admit it. There are a few things that I wish were available (smaller cable sizes - 16", 12", etc) but I am sure that Knitpick will pick up on that as they go along. . . . .

Next, well, let's see. . .OH, I got to throw out the first pitch at the Indians game this past Sunday. OMG, it was amazing. Only thing is that no one warned me that I would be interviewed. Before the pitch. On the field. On camera. On the Jumbotron. No one. Not a soul. Zip. Zilcho. Nada.

SOOOOOOOO,

I was a bit unprepared and VERY nervous. I stumbled through it visibly shaking with this elephant sized camera lens in my face. AND, there's reverb. I would speak and then hear myself a split second later. Very disconcerting. Very ANNOYING. I stumbled, I stopped, I shook. It was the longest 40 seconds or so of my entire life. EVER.

But, then I got escorted out onto the field. It was almost a relief after the whole camera thing. There were actually 3 ceremonial first pitches (why do they call them all "first pitches" when there are multiple? Shouldn't they just be "ceremonial pitches"?) I got to throw second. After a man. A big man. A big athletic man. Who can throw the ball. Well. Like, strike zone well. Sigh. The nerves where back.

Luckily, as soon as I got on the mound, I tunnel visioned the player catching (Franklin Gutierrez a sweetie pie just pulled up from triple A ball) and Slider (the mascot who stood behind Franklin) so I didn't really notice the 40,000 + people there, or the camera, or my DH and DS who were standing at the dugout area. Gutierrez just smiled and nodded at me. I made the sign of the cross and said a little prayer and then I threw. I don't remember what I did or how I did it but the ball went straight to Gutierrez and made it to the tip of home plate, hopped up and he caught it. He didn't even have to move, well, barely had to move. I was given my ball autographed by Franklin and we went on our merry way to our seats. My DS was so excited for me. It was so cute. I had been given 10 tickets to the game so I had family and friends there. 2 of my blue knitters were there. We all had knitting and got some done during the game.

The Indians won 13-0. (There were 2 homeruns. A grandslam by Travis Hafner and another by, guess who?, Franklin Gutierrez. It was his first major league homerun.) All in all, it was a good day.

So, I was going to post pix of me from the game but, guess what?

Yep, blogger doesn't want to.

sigh.

I'll add them later. Promise.


Oh and Knitting-wise? Well, I was bad. I HAD to use the new needles so I started a new top. DANG! I know, I know. I wasn't supposed to, but I couldn't help it. Hey, at least it was a project from my stash. That should count for something, right?

C ya all soon.

Promise. I'll have news on all the wonderful results of the positive vibes soon. Very soon.

Hey, I can post some pix now!

Before hair cut and curly.


After haircut and flat-ironed.


OK, now let me tell you about my most recent swap. I participated in the "flip flop swap" and I got Lolly as my swap partner! I was so thrilled to get her. I just got my swap a few days ago and here is what it was:


She packaged it so pretty and then everything inside was great! I got some Lorna's Laces sheperd's sock yarn in "sherbert". Oooooh. I got 3 different wool washes, some very pretty tissues, some "tropicana" novelty yarn, some very pretty bookplates, my pink flips (of course) and a hand-made wood bean bracelet in the same shade of pink! I loved it all. That was a really fun swap to participate in y'know?

"Whatever" Wednesday

So, I unabashedly stole the name of this post from a local radio station's promotion where on Wednesday they will play, well whatever the listeners call and request. Anyhow, I thought it was the perfect title for a "catching up"/rambling type of post for today.

Much like everyone I know, my knitting lately has been quite minimal. It's just too hot to knit and since this is my Summer of UFO's, I've been working on 'heavier' projects that are,well, just too hot to work on. Which, unfortunately, isn't helping me with my whole Summer of UFO's thing. Sigh. So, I've been reading. I just finished this and loved it. Sophie did NOT dissapoint. Yeah, it's shallow. Yeah, it's mind numbing. No, I won't be any smarter as a result of reading it but it was funny. I laughed and I relaxed and I enjoyed. So there. Sue me. I am not afraid to say that I love trashy, silly, mind numbing Chic Lit. Life's too heavy for me in other avenues to spend time reading anything "heavier" right now. Maybe later, when things calm down a bit.

Speaking of calming down, still asking for positive vibes over here. The first round of vibes worked GREAT! Things are moving along in the right direction but, there are still some steps that need to happen for it all to "gel". Would I be too greedy to ask for more POSITIVE ENERGY this way? I didn't think you all would mind. Thanks in advance! ;->

Ok, so my reading, my changes, what else do I need to cover. . . . . . .

Oh, I've had some pix to share that I hadn't done before so here goes. . . .

You can see by the fact that I am actually wearing a wrap that this was a while ago. DS and I took DH out for his birthday. This shot was from that night.

Well, apparently %$^&#%^#(%)# blogger decided that THAT was enough pix for now! (I HAVE to change blog servers) so I guess I will share other pix later. UUGGHH! OK, so I'll just "talk". . . . .

Anyhow, Cathi wanted to see pix of the "do" for a while now. I had a closer shot of the hair as well as a "before" shot that I was going to put in here but I guess I'll add that later (thanks blogger).

DH and I are having our 17th Anniversary this coming Saturday. yeah! More on that later. . . .

Work has been a bit more bearable lately but, still, I think I really need a change. We'll see what the winds of change bring out my way.

It's been so hot here that out electric company has actually been doing intentional power outtages to small areas of different local cities to cut down on the demand to the local generators. I guess it's their way of trying to prevent a huge Black-out from occurring. We had our outtage on Monday. It lasted for 45 mins and they had a machine call us with a pre-recorded message/warning first. It wasn't too bad. The time was short enough that the house didn't really heat up too much. I just made sure that we didn't open/close doors and we kept all the blinds down. We'll see when it's "our turn" again. . . . .

Last but not least, I thought this was hilarious. The restaurant is not far from our house and we actually know the owners. What are the odds of that happening I wonder????? See, it's all about karma. Being evil/bad attracts bad karma and bad karma is NOTHING to be messin' around with, y'know?

OK, that is enough rambling. I'll let you all go until blogger let's me put up some pix.

C ya!

OMG!!!!!!!!

I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS! OK, so I am currently, as I type, at work but I couldn't wait a second. Our hospital had a contest to recognize exemplary employees for service excellence and living our Mission and Values. The prizes all revolve around the Cleveland Indians. It is the hospital's day at the ball park to see the Indians game and they have been selling tickets for awhile ($20 seats at $10 to employees - not bad at all).

ANYHOW, my office mate nominated me for the service excellence award. The prizes?
Third prize = An autographed ball and a pair of tix to the game,
Second prize = An autographed bat and a pair of tix to the game,
Grand prize = The honor of throwing out the first pitch of the game along with a block of 10 tix to share with family.


So, guess what I won? Go on GUESS!!!!!





OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!!

I need to go out to a ballpark and practice my pitching!!!


AAAAAAACKKKKK!!!



I had to tell you guys.

BTW, this is NOT related to the positive vibes I was requesting a few posts ago. THAT is still in the works and we STILL need to have positive vibes for it.

Hey, I bet that's why I won this. You all sent FAB vibes out here towards ME! OK, let me give you some more specifics. . . . . .

Focus all positive energy towards DH!

Thanks!

OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm worried that I won't get the ball to the plate. Do you think if I wore a pink Indians cap and jersey everyone would know that I am a slightly girly girl and NOT expect me to get it over there?

Isn't my mom beautiful?

I kept forgetting to post this picture but I wanted to be sure to put it up. Isn't she beautiful????????

Te quiero Mami!

Request for you guys

Something big is cookin' over here are Chez Knittingnurse. Don't want to jinx by talking too much about it. Justa quick favor to ask, would you please send some positive vibes thisaway????

Should be able to reveal (hopefully) in a few weeks. Just one last thought from me. . . . . .



SEND POSITIVE ENERGY!




LOTS of it.






Thank you.



(you may now return to your previously scheduled lives)

Lookie what I got! Tee hee!

Isn't this the cutest bag ever? It's a sock bag. Just big enough to carry your socks in progress in. Or any other small project for that matter. And, it's completely reversible!!! I love this thing.


These are Amy's creations. She has some really adorable fabrics for these. She has them over at her etsy shop. She suggests using them as a gift bag for presenting socks or gloves or baby items, etc. I LOVE THESE!

HYSTERICAL! (and a FO!!!!)

Ok this has got to be one of the most hysterical things I have ever done as of yet online.

Do not be surprised if you receive a personalized message from "me".

Go try it out.

And now, FINALLY here are the pictures of the completed watermelon socks.
I must say that this is the pair of socks that I am most proud of to date. Why? Because I achieved knitting nirvana when I made these socks. Look at them again.
THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY IDENTICAL! No lie. See even the little bit of red that was overdyed onto the white came up in the same spot at the heel turn:
DAMN! Now my OCD is going to go into overdrive each time I knit striped socks. DAMN, DAMN, DAMN (but it is pretty cool though - tee hee).

Pictures that blogger wouldn't let me previously post. . . . .

Here I am with Amy's mom, Mary Ann as she hand delivers my Yarntopia sock yarn at Sit 'n Knit!



That would be my scale. See how nicely it packs up into itself? The bottom pix shows it as it would be used. The container sections holds a whole 100 gm wound ball of sock yarn with room to spare! Woo hoo!

Allison's boys are not alone in their Lego love (although they are much more into it than my DS). DS could NOT resist this set. I must say, I think Avatar is pretty cool myself, although this is what I was doing as DS was building:


I'm going to stop now before blogger gets all mad at me again. I will post the rest of the pix later INCLUDING the finished watermelon socks!

I'm still alive, (barely)

The headaches are back. Sigh. I just went to the neurologist yesterday and we are going to try another combo of meds. It gets so frustrating b/c something will work but then 6-9 months later, we are starting all over again.

Let's hope this combo does the trick from now on! Although, maybe it's just my way of contributing to the "karmic pull" that Yarn Harlot started for Lee Ann. Keeping that in mind, I guess I shouldn't bitch since at least my headaches aren't due to anything that is going to lead to my skull being cut open. See? It's all in perspective, right?

I'll stop griping now.

In other news, take a hop over and visit Amy at her new etsy shop


She had one that was a "Summertime in Paris" fabric that was darling and another that was "How to keep your Husband" retro 40's fabric that was a HOOT! She plans on making more with those fabrics but the others are cute as well. I love the retro hula girl also and I am waiting for a new "Cuppa Joe (or not)" bag for the next Knitters Tea Swap. I am going to send the swap items in the bag so the bag will be a gift as well! Cute, huh? I just love that these things are totally reversible so it's like 2 bags in 1.

OK, enough of that. Gotta go lay down now.

Must get ice to numb the pain.

Hope this means Lee Ann is doing well.


OH, and BTW for all my lurker pals (including my DH) who read but don't comment b/c they don't have a blogger profile, I've opened up commenting to everyone so now you can let your voice be heard here without having to start a blogger account.

Now SPEAK UP would ya? ;-)

I'm a BAAAAAAD blogger

Geez, I drop that last BOMB on you and then I virtually disappear. First off, I want to thank you all for all your kind words of encouragement and support. You all really do not know how much they have meant to me.

Work is still the same but I am actively doing something about it. I'll keep you all up to date on any specifics that I may have, kay?

Alright, onto fun stuff. First thing to tell you is that we have been working hard on the yard. "We" meaning mostly "me" with some assistance from DS. DH is out of the pix on this kind of stuff. So, I was tired of looking at this from my kitchen window:









So I did something about it and after lugging 48 stones (at 25 lbs each I might add) I now get to look at this instead:











It's actually much prettier b/c I've planted impatiens all around and they are doing lovely. We cleaned up and filled up the bird feeders and are having all sorts of wonderful guests: blue jays, purple finches, cardinals, robins, goldfinches, chickadees, morning doves, red winged blackbirds, sparrows and even a bunny! It's so nice to stand at my kitchen sink and look out the window now. The dishes don't pile up NEARLY as much as they used to! (wink, wink, nod, nod)

OK, so re: knitting. I wanted to show you my newest and on my quickly becoming a fave gadget; it'a kitchen scale I bought a Bed, Bath and Beyond recently for a total of $5.99 plus tax. I was going to post a picture but blogger is being silly again and not letting me do it (aargh). So, WHY do I love my scake so much? Well, besides the obvious use (evenly splitting a skein of yarn into equal parts - mainly for sock knitting) it is SO CONVENIENT to use. It is self contained meaning the scale itself is stored inside of the container that holds the yarn. Let me try to explain this. It is a rectangular container with a clear lid that is big and deep enough to house the scale portion when not in use. Besides the convenience of storing the scale, the size of the container is big enough that it can hold a 100gm wound ball of sock yarn with room to spare! THAT is what I love. It holds LOTS of yarn, it stores easily AND it was just $5.99. What's not to love? Now I can evenly split my sock yarn, knit toe up and use EVERY LAST BIT of my beautiful yarns for my socks!

Life is good sometimes, y'know?

I'll be back with knitting pix soon OK? FYI, I'm on the home stretch with the second watermelon striped socks (just about 2 1/2 inches left). Woo hoo!

So, THAT's it!

I've HAD it! Work has been steadily getting less and less fulfilling for me and today broke the camel's back. Don't get me wrong. I love nursing. I love nursing as much as I did when I first graduated. It's just that there are LOTS of changes going on right now where I work and I don't necessarily agree with most of them. Again, don't get me wrong. Change is good. I know that. HOWEVER, I like to feel that I hold a pretty high standard when it comes to my profession. Besides this being a result of my incredible OCD, anal retentive, perfectionistic nature, I think that it comes from the basis of my spirituality as well.

Let me explain.

Each and every patient I care for, I care for as if they were my OWN family member laying there. I do. It's the right way to nurse a patient, at least it is for me. I feel as that if I treat each and every patient this way, I will then be giving the absolute best of who I am as a nurse. I feel that each and every single human being deserves that much. Now, that being said, there have been plenty a day and, Lord knows, plenty a patient that just doesn't jive with that. Personalities clash, head-aches occur, days are just "off". . . . it happens and I KNOW that I am not perfect. Those days I reflect on what went awry and I strive to improve it. HOWEVER, lately I seem to see a decline in the work atmosphere where I am. For quite a bit of time, it has felt to me as though our nursing standards keep getting dropped to the lowest common denominator.

I can't live with that.

I am the type of person who, whether I achieve it or not, strives to continually improve and raise my standards. This is true of my nursing, my knitting, my cooking, my parenting, my self. SO, feeling as though my environment keeps dropping to the lowest common denominator is just a moral dilemma for me. How can I say that I provide the best that I can when I witness this perceived drop and continue to stay within it's hold? I've struggled with this for months now. I really like my immediate coworkers and cohorts. Currently, my acting Manager (who is actually my Director but is doing double duty until the Manager position is refilled) is the person who hired me. I love working for her and I feel that she has the same work ethic and nursing philosophy as I do. However, her hands are tied by the wave of change that has swallowed our hospital and can only do so much. My office mate is a great nurse and a great friend. There are a handful of nurses in my departments for whom I hold very high regard and utmost respect.

However, the wave seems to be going towards the decline and those cherished individuals are shadowed by the rest.

I'm going onto Monster. I NEED a new job.

sigh.

I know what I need but it still isn't easy. I hate feeling defeated or disloyal but I do. And yet, I hate feeling as though I sometimes don't want to say where I work b/c I am embarassed by it.

sigh, sigh.

Man, life really is hard, isn't it?

Yarntopia came to town. . . .

Well, not really but it was pretty darn close. Amy's lovely mom, Mary Ann was in town visiting family and I was lucky enough to be able to talk her into meeting me. I was going to meet her half way but then she wanted to get together tonight and . . . . . it was Sit 'n Knit so she came up to us! YEAH!
We all had a lovely visit with her, what a doll she is! Amy, I can see where you get all your beauty and warmth. Can I steal her more often? ;o)

So, why did I say that Yarntopia came to town you might ask? Well that would be because of this:
That my blogland friends is my very own skein of Fleece Artist Merino Sock Yarn in the exclusive Yarntopia colorway! Yeah! Mary Ann hand delivered it all the way from Katy! It was so gorgeous that I HAD to wind it up right away. (I think that I can see the colors much better when it's wound up don't you?) We were all drooling over it when she took it out of her bag. No, really, everybody went nuts. What? You don't believe me. OK, OK, here's the proof:

See? I told you so! tee hee.

AAAUUUGGH! I have one more cute picture of Mary Ann and I were she is giving me the yarn and blogger won't let me post it. ACK!

Anyhow, we had a lovely visit, the yarn is amazing and I was tickled pink to have met her.

Watermelon sock pictures (finally)

Here's the sock from the side. I divided the skein prior to knitting so that I could make them toe up and use as much yarn as I had. They are "almost" knee high. I like them! I love the way this yarn striped up. Isn't it adorable? the yarn quality is great and the dye job is excellent. Thanks so much to Dani.
Here is a close up of my short rowed heel. This time I didn't have nearly the "holes" problem that I had last time I did this. I don't think I was picking up the wraps the correct way the last time I made them. I think I have it down now.


Last shots are in my new, adorable, I am in love with SHOES! Aren't they cute too? AND, I think the socks are going to look great in them. I am now almost at the beginning of the heel on the second sock. Yikes but my summer knitting has been slow. Sheesh! I better pick up the pace if I want to have a successful one of these!

Wish me luck!

It's Official!

Thanks to Amy for coming through with this one. Isn't it too cute?

Oh, and that *&^*&%*(*$#!@# gelato drape? I brought it to work to show my office mate . . . SNAG CITY! I've got like 6 or so "holes" where I need to go back and even out the stitches. It's got to go!

p.s. blogger wouldn't let me upload the sock pictures so, I'll do it after I get home tonight.

toodles!

My plans for the Summer

I meant to post this on the official first day of Summer but then life got in the way and so I'm late. Anywhoooo, while it seems that everyone else will be having one of these, I will be having a SUMMER OF UFOs (please use your imagination and picture a snazzy, cutesy little button with an adorable alien or flying saucer, maybe with a ball of yarn or ooh, ooh, a flying saucer superimposed on a crossed pair of knitting needles - yeah that's the ticket) over here. I would make a button but I have yet to figure out how those are made so you all must use your imaginations, kay?

After a moment of realization where I was overwhelmed by the number of UFOs in my possession (oh, and just for the record, I had missed a couple of projects in that original count - yeah, really I did!), I've now decided that I must do all I can to complete these items. Therefore, I will work on these during this Summer of UFO's to get as many done as I can. I will then chronicle my successes (and failures?) and go over the reasons WHY I had set the projects aside. Thought it would be excellent to not only finish the project but to write the reasons that kept me from completing them in the first place.

SO, that being said, I've completed one so far!

I've completed a neck drape from Gelato by Fiesta Yarns
Now, this was a free pattern in a very old patternworks catalog. I altered it a bit to make it a bit bigger than what the pattern called for. Seemed like a waste of yarn as there would have been a good deal left over but not enough for another drape. OK, so, WHY did THIS project get cast aside? Despite it having a beautiful color (I used the Alaska colorway) and drape, the drape itself is what caused me to set this aside. First of all, I wound it into a centerpull ball on my yarn winder. I thought I was being smart by using the yarn from the outside b/c it was so slippery. Well, I'm here to tell you, that was NOT enough. This stuff is slipperier (huh? maybe I should say "more slippery"?) than a newborn baby in a bathtub full of baby oil. AUGH! It would not stay in any sort of a usable form. I finally put it into a plastic baggy but only after I already had a "throw up yarn" mess which I then tried to unknot as I knit! Also, it's a ribbon yarn. I'm an OCD, overlay anal, perfectionist who just COULD NOT STAND the thought of the yarn twisting on itself. So I would untwist the yarn on the needles as I knit, which would cause the yarn to twist onto itself in the mess that I now had in a plastic baggy and therefore become even knottier on that end as I then continued to try to unknot it while I knit it!

You all get the picture right?

Well, THAT's not the end of it.

Besides all THAT mess, this is the most "catchy" thing I have ever made. It catches on everything and the *&^***&%$#!%*&^$& slipperiness (I do believe that this actually is a word) of the yarn then contributes to it pulling it's stitches out of place. Because I am so OCD, overly anal and perfectionistic, I must then (truly I MUST) pull the thing back into an orderly and even fashion each and every time it catches. ACK!

OK, so I love the colorway and the feel/look of the yarn and drape. I will probably be extremely careful as to where and when I wear it though. OR, I might just have to put myself out of my misery and gift it to my mom who may not be quite as OCD, overly anal and perfectionistic and will love it as it deserves to be loved!

SO, that's one down and MANY MORE to go.

In the meantime, I continue to work on one of my most recent UFO's - the watermelon stripe socks! I finished sock number 1 (had I mentioned that already?). I would post a picture of it but Blogger is being stupid and is not letting me. I'll try on a separate post.

We had a great Father's Day.

I have to say that I am so thankful for Father's day. Although my heart is extremely saddened over missing my Father so much each year at this time, I am eternally grateful that I have the opportunity to celebrate Father's day because I have been blessed to be a Mother. Thank you to my DH for giving me the most amazing gift I will ever receive in my lifetime. . . . . the gift of my DS and Motherhood.

OK, I just couldn't even begin to do this.

You all HAVE to go and check this out.

How do people do stuff like that? I like to think that I am an "alright" knitter, maybe even venturing into intermediate/advanced but THAT, who can compete with that? You all did catch that she is just 22 years old, right?

WOW!

Proud Momma moment. . .

OK, so it didn't really have an effect on the outcome of the game and he did only face 3 batters BUT. . . . . . DS got to pitch in today's Riverdog game! I was so THRILLED for him. He walked 2 guys and had an out on a hit to first base, but still, HE PITCHED!

Knitting has OBVIOUSLY gone by the wayside in lieu of the baseball. In fact, I served as bench coach today (you gotta know that they were DESPERATE). It was fun though sitting there with the boys and getting them ready to hit.

I've yet to miss a practice or a game. The boys are all really quite sweet and very supportive of each other (although they ARE 9 -10 years old and can get a bit rambunctious at times - What is with them and picking up dirt and throwing it into their shoes and onto their pants????). I've really enjoyed this year so far and the boys (I think) look forward to seeing me there. Could it be b/c I am the most obnoxious, um I mean supportive Mom out there? tee hee! One of the boys got the first Riverdogs Homerun of the year and I was glad to be on the bench cheering him home! It was a great experience.

OK, OK, I have worked on watermelon socks (finishing up #1) and lacy leaf scarf (somewhat, not much though). Next time, knitting pix (maybe). We do have 2 more games this week y'know! ;-)

tee hee

I have a BLUE Aura and so is my knitting. . . .

Your Aura is Blue

Your Personality: Your natural warmth and intuition nurtures those around you. You are accepting and always follow your heart. You in Love: Relationships are your top priority, and this includes love. You are most happy when you are serious with someone. Your Career: You need to help others in your job to feel satistifed. You would be a great nurse, psychologist, or counselor.

What Color Is Your Aura?

Well, that just solidifies that I am in the RIGHT profession~ I'm such a sucker for these things.

As far as my knitting being blue, I am in a knitting FUNK! The watermelon socks are coming out cute as can be, I am more than 3/4 way done with Sock #1. BUT, I am not in the "mood" to knit on them as much as I should be. So, I looked over all my UFO's to see what was there. YIKES! I have the beaded shawl to work on, the Zara sweater, the Tivoli top and the Little Leaf Lace Scarf as well as a baby einstein (or is it a baby albert) coat from the Knit Stitch book. That a total of SIX UFO's. Yowza.

Sadly, I was trying to find a NEW project to get excited over. I want to make Tempting II along with the rest of the Sexy Knitters but, can I really justify THAT many UFO's??????

Sigh.

RAOK'd!

Thanks so much to Bethanie for the AMAZING RAOK. It was a wonderfully unexpected gift. I'm off to light my candle. It's going to be 65 tonight. I think I will make myself some tea as well . . . . .